Published
November 7, 2026
Men held in units 2500 or 2700 of the Los Angeles County Men’s Central Jail who were subjected to the September 7, 2021 mass strip search may qualify to claim at least $5,000 from the $1.5 million Newman v. County of Los Angeles class action settlement. Claims are open through March 2, 2027.
Current Status
Claims are open. Class members can file online or mail a paper claim form postmarked by March 2, 2027, which is also the deadline to opt out or object. Judge Christina A. Snyder of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California granted preliminary approval on September 25, 2026. The final approval hearing is set for April 26, 2027 at 10:00 a.m. No payments have been made; approved claims are paid within 90 days after the settlement becomes final.Free settlement alerts
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Status
Claims Open
Preliminary approval granted · final approval hearing April 26, 2027
Claim Deadline
March 2, 2027
Online or postmarked · same date to opt out or object
Estimated Payout
At least $5,000
Equal shares of about $900,000 · an estimated 182 to 224 class members
Proof Required
Yes — Login ID and PIN
The online claim form opens with the Login ID and PIN from the notice · class list comes from jail records
What Changed Recently?
Claims opened after the court granted preliminary approval on September 25, 2026 and the administrator, Simpluris, began sending notice by mail, email and text. The case, Newman v. County of Los Angeles, was filed in May 2022, and a related case, Malloy v. Villanueva, followed in July 2022. The County of Los Angeles and the Sheriff’s Department officials named in the suits settled both.According to the settlement agreement, the Sheriff’s Department received information on September 7, 2021 that an inmate had smuggled a firearm into Men’s Central Jail. The jail was placed on tactical lockdown, and inmates were strip-searched as deputies looked for the gun. The plaintiffs allege that after inmates in units 2500 and 2700 underwent visual body cavity inspections, some were kept naked and restrained while being walked through the facility to body scanners. The county denies that anyone’s rights were violated and agreed to settle to avoid the risks of litigation.
Who Qualifies?
The settlement class is all Men’s Central Jail prisoners housed in units 2500 and 2700 who were subjected to the mass search on September 7, 2021. During that search they were required to submit to visual body cavity inspections, and some were then kept nude and restrained while being moved to body-scanning machines.Class members were identified from Los Angeles County jail records, and only people on that list are in the class. The court estimates the class at 182 to 224 people. A person qualifies based on where they were held on September 7, 2021, whether or not they are still in custody today.
How Much Can You Get?
Los Angeles County is paying $1.5 million into a fund that does not revert to the county. After attorneys’ fees of up to one-third, litigation costs, about $30,000 in administration costs and three $10,000 incentive awards, the court’s order estimates about $900,000 will be left. That money is divided equally among everyone who files a timely claim.Each claimant is guaranteed at least $5,000. If the equal shares would fall below that, the attorneys’ fee award is reduced so every claimant still gets $5,000. Because the class is small, each share could be well above $5,000, depending on how many people file. Uncashed checks are redistributed in a second round. Anything left after that goes to a nonprofit human rights organization focused on sexual abuse in detention.
What Proof or Notice ID Is Required?
No documents are needed, but the claim is tied to the notice. The online claim form opens only with the Login ID and PIN printed on the notice. The official site says class members who cannot find them can ask the administrator for them by giving their full name and mailing address. The paper claim form asks for the Login ID if known, contact information and a signed statement under penalty of perjury. The administrator may ask for more information to verify a claim.What Is the Deadline?
• Claims: submitted online or by email by March 2, 2027, or mailed with a postmark no later than March 2, 2027.• Opt-out: a signed opt-out form mailed to the administrator by March 2, 2027.
• Objection: a letter to the court postmarked by March 2, 2027.
The preliminary approval order set these deadlines at 120 days after notice went out and allows them to move with the actual notice date. The official site and notice give March 2, 2027. The settlement agreement also lets the parties ask the court to accept some late claims filed before the final approval hearing, but that is up to the court. Neither source gives a time zone.
How Do You Take Action?
Claims are filed on the official claim form page with the Login ID and PIN from the notice. Claimants who file online can choose payment by PayPal, Venmo, Zelle or a prepaid card; paper claims are paid by check. The paper claim form and opt-out form are on the site’s Important Documents page.Opting out ends any right to a payment from this settlement. It is the only way to keep the right to sue the county separately over the same events. Class members who do nothing get no money and are still bound by the settlement’s release.
What Happens Next?
Judge Snyder will hold the final approval hearing on April 26, 2027 at 10:00 a.m. The preliminary approval order says it will be held by Zoom, with details on the court’s website. Class counsel’s request for fees and the motion for final approval are due by March 29, 2027. Under the settlement agreement, the county may withdraw if more than 10 class members opt out. If the court approves the settlement, payments are due within 90 days after it becomes final. No payment date has been announced.Sources and Verification
• Official settlement website, including its FAQ and Important Dates pages• Court-approved class notice (PDF)
• Newman v. County of Los Angeles, No. 2:22-cv-03467-CAS (PDx) (C.D. Cal.): settlement agreement (ECF No. 69-3, filed July 27, 2026) and revised preliminary approval order (ECF No. 74, filed September 25, 2026); related case Malloy v. Villanueva, No. 2:22-cv-04836-CAS
Questions
Why would the LA County jail settlement pay more than $5,000?
The money left after fees and costs, estimated at about $900,000, is split equally among class members who file timely claims, with a guaranteed minimum of $5,000. The court estimates the class at 182 to 224 people, so each share grows if fewer of them file. If shares would fall below $5,000, the attorneys' fee award is reduced to keep every claimant at $5,000.
Can a class member still file if they are in jail or prison now?
Yes. The class is defined by where a person was held on September 7, 2021, not by where they are now. The settlement agreement says the county identified class members who remain in custody or were moved to state prison so they could be sent notice, and paper claim forms can be mailed in.
Can the county cancel the Men’s Central Jail settlement?
Under the settlement agreement, Los Angeles County may withdraw from the deal if more than 10 class members opt out, and the agreement was made subject to approval by the county's Claims Board and Board of Supervisors. The court must still grant final approval before anyone is paid.
What happens to money no one claims?
None of it goes back to the county. Uncashed checks are redistributed to the other claimants in a second round, and anything still left after that goes to a nonprofit human rights organization focused on sexual abuse in detention.
Official Settlement Notice
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Settlement Amount
$1,500,000
Case Title
Newman v. County of Los Angeles
Case Number
2:22-cv-03467-CAS (PDx)
Court
U.S. District Court, Central District of California
Final Approval Hearing
April 26, 2027 at 10:00 AM
Before Judge Christina A. Snyder · by Zoom per the order
Administrator
Simpluris
Official Website
LA County MCJ Mass Search Settlement
